


Amber

by dreamyafterdark



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Dreams and Nightmares, Escape, F/M, Force-Sensitive Reader, M/M, Multi, POV Second Person, Pre-Canon, Pre-TFA, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 14:23:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17705933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamyafterdark/pseuds/dreamyafterdark
Summary: Setting: Just before The Force Awakens, modified canonverse.You live in a... facility. When a space ship arrives, you take a chance. The Dark Force user Kylo Ren is interested in your potential powers, but leaves you in the care of General Hux. The General is not quite convinced you're trustworthy - but Millicent is ♥This story is still developing. Rating is for future chapters. It's a little bit of a slow burn...





	1. Like clockwork

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, the scene with Kylo and "The Management" is based on Kylo's entrance and subsequent behaviour in TFA :)

You wake up. Under the showers within 5 minutes. Dressed in fifteen more. Morning ration in the mess hall for another ten minutes and you stand in line to clock into work. You find your place, relieve your co-worker who can now go finish up their day, and you sit down and start working. No one speaks. Soft music plays, interrupted by hourly news broadcasts. It’s always good news. The Republic is strong. The Republic is clean. The Republic is healthy. Your replacement silently stands by your side, and you get up, make no eye contact, and clock out for the day.

There has never been another way, or at least you don’t remember. When you try, you get a shrill headache, and a voice telling you it’s a bad idea. So you don’t. And really, you don’t have the time. No. You have all the time, you don’t have any energy. By the time you have your rations you are always dizzy and weak, and they only get you as far as the next one. Management says this is healthy, extending your life span, and ensuring a sound, deep sleep at night.

They’re right about the deep sleep.

Sometimes, something happens. Someone bumps into someone else. A tray falls down, a ration spills, a feeling is hurt. Rations, once spent, cannot be replaced.  
You’ve learned not to get involved. It hurts, but not as much as getting stabbed in the back. Everyone here is silently surviving, and kindness is weakness. You don’t want to live like that, but the other way it can go wrong is the worst. Sometimes you’re just too late, and the other person just... dies. 

It’s not uncommon. Someone working, someone standing in line, someone under the showers, just falls over, and that’s that. There is no medbay. Facilities come in and carry them off, and no one really looks. Management says all your regular medical needs are satisfied with the rations, and there are no infections here. The Factory is strong. The Factory is Clean. The Factory is Healthy. 

As you sit down to eat morning rations, you correct your thought. No one really looks - but everyone watches. The people who sit next to the boy that died in the queue this morning, they eagerly wait if his ration hasn’t been annulled yet. When it indeed turns up, they both grab for it, starting a silent, desperate fight. You, like anyone else, are watching this through reflections on the shiny surfaces. It’s best not to make direct eye contact...

The winner quickly gulps down the extra food, so it cannot be taken away from her. The loser scowls. You frown slightly. You fully understand, and yet... they must be new. For as you work that day, you see the winner's reflection suddenly gasp and run for the bathrooms, outwith assigned break times. You know why, but you don’t why. You know she’s in there throwing up, but you don’t know why that is. Why eating two of the same rations at the same time makes you sick.

Still, that shouldn’t be enough to get you get pulled over, on your way out, at the end of your shift. You don't feel perturbed about the food, or the girl, or the fight. Nonetheless, your mood tracker has sent a warning, and a handler approaches you and takes you to the side. As they run cognitive tests, you sit in a dimly lit room, and all you can think of are evening rations. If they don’t hurry up soon, you’ll miss out.

“Newness. The concept of being a new arrival. It’s a Continuity Disturbance. Order an extra Beta shot.”  
There must be something wrong with the wiring in here, you can’t normally hear them talk. Normally? How often have you been here?  
“Better make that a double. I’m detecting more failu-“

A loud crash, like an explosion. A siren starts to ring, the lights go out, and the security door springs open. Not the one back out to the main hallway. One that leads deeper into the complex... It's counter-intuitive, the building is collapsing, but... your hallways have no exits. Your dorms don’t even have windows. You need to make it out into the open, and this is your best shot.

So you get out of your chair, and you run. The first stretch is clear, but as you turn down another corridor, you find debris on the floor - and pools of water. A pipe must have burst somewhere. Maybe that's damaging systems further. You hurry along, until you suddenly see a Security officer - up ahead, through a transparisteel door. He spots you, and as he pulls out his weapon and moves to open the door, you see someone, several people, grabbing at him, pulling him down... It's others, others like you, and they... - You turn back and run before they spot you, too. Sure, they're taking that officer out for you, but there's no reason they won't to the same for you if they can get that door open. No reason they would follow you, and you need to make as much space between them and yourself as you can. You have to get out of there. There's got be another way...

And then you, finally, you see one. In machine room, the door left ajar, and you can see lights, flashing bright lights and a lot of noise. As you slip inside, you see it's coming in through a window up near the low ceiling. It’s used to vent a thick plastic tube into the open, but the tube seems to be offline. It is cool to the touch, nothing smells noxious, as you snap its restraints free, and let it fall to the ground. You’re below ground, and as you climb up and out of the window, you finally see where the lights come from - and immediately fall to the side to hide in the shadows. Dozens of soldiers in shiny white uniforms cover the area, waving search lights. They’re pouring out of a... spaceship that’s landed on what looks like – yes this is the forecourt, the main entrance is there. You wince as a shrill headache seems to punish you for that memory, but nonetheless, you know it is the truth. On the other side of the forecourt, the other side of the ship are endless tall woods... For a moment, you’re transfixed by their gentle sway in the night time breeze, but then you sense something. You look to the side where you can see Management, corralled by soldiers in front of the facility, and the air is thick with anticipation... Someone’s coming. You turn to the ship, and your heart misses a beat. 

A tall, regal creature in a long black cloak, hooded and masked, descends from the ship’s stairs, and walks straight up to Management, and you... kinda like the look of terror on them now, as he advances towards them... He's menacing, really. Who is he? A Sith Lord? A Dark Jedi? Why has he come here?

It’s too far and too noisy to make out what they’re saying, but whatever it is, it doesn’t seem to go well. He pulls out a red, glowing weapon, a lightsaber – and strikes down the Head of the Factory. You can’t hear the gasps, but you can see them. You can’t hear the order he gives, but you see the troopers begin to shoot everyone. And you can hear the screams... He turns to leave, and that's when it hits you, you have to get onto that ship. They're your only way out. You neither want to be here when the others arrive, nor when a new Management does... There is an Above, there is a Beyond, there are Trees, and Sky, and Wind, and Stars. There was a life before this place, even if it seems locked to you - but there is a life beyond it now. You can do this. You *have* to do this.

You moved out of the shadows, trying to find cover behind anything in the way, as you edge closer to the ship, scanning it for any entry points. Nothing... but then, you notice a small, round droid, a black BB-unit, being dumped out of a side door. It’s beeping loudly in protest, but a guy in a dark uniform is telling it to shut up. He tries to close the door, until someone in overalls tells him to keep it open, so more garbage can be unloaded, "since this place is going to blow in a minute anyway."

You frown, but ll the more reason to get out of here, surely. They both leave, and in the time it takes them to return, you have rushed towards the open door, grabbed the droid on the way, and jumped inside. Diving into the first cupboard you can find, hiding in there until you can feel the motors roar, and-

“We’ve done it!” you whisper, chuckling at hearing your own voice for what feels like in forever... it sounds raspy, but warm... The droid looks at you with that big, round eye and softly beeps. The pain in your head is exhausting, but your brain translates, and you put an arm around BB-9E, lean your head against his warm, round shell... and fall asleep. 


	2. Cat or Mouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're on the ship. Now you need a safe hiding space. And you're in luck, but then... you're hungry, too..

You wake up, and for a moment you expect to be back in your room in the Factory... But no, you’re still on a starship, hiding inside a cupboard with BB-9E. you smile, and stroke his head, and he softly beeps. It's nice to interact with someone else. You wonder why anyone would throw him out, you can't really see any damage, and anyway wouldn't it be better to fix him? Maybe you could make that happen... but first, you need to find out where you even are.  
"You don't happen to have a map of this place?"  
Yes, he does.  
BB-9E proudly projects the ship’s layout and data into the air, and you gasp. You saw it was huge from the outside, but it’s a small city, really. Over 80,000 people on board. 10 levels, with training facilities, food production units, crew quarters, meeting rooms - and a huge weapons arsenal. It's a Battlecruiser. A First Order Star Destroyer. You swallow and lean back against the wall. Your headache pipes up, a little softer maybe, as you recall what you know about the First Order. It's not much, they are shadowy opposition figures, none in Government seems to take seriously. You have the strangest feeling that you used to believe that was because no one lives to tell the tale of their encounters... But you feel nausea rising, and you let yourself get pushed back out of these thoughts, focus on the map in front of you instead.  
Where could you hide on a ship like this. Just until they make their next stop, perhaps on a nicer world, yes... Where could you, and BB-9E, keep a low profile... Oh. There's a large storage unit, on the other side of the ship. When you call up its data, you can see it hasn't been accessed in months. Perfect... except...

You have to somehow make it there unnoticed. Traverse the entire length of the corridor outside this door, and at the very end there is a goods elevator you can take up.

You frown... How would you do that? But as you look around, you notice this is a cleaning cupboard, and next to all the supplies, there is a laundry basket with dirty uniforms. There are even boots next to it, covered in splotches of something. This could work... You sit up and pull out the items. They are way too big on your thin frame, but that's alright. You appreciate the warmth of an extra layer, frankly. Besides, it gives you the feeling of hiding inside them.... One, by one, you put everything on over your Factory dayclothes, but then pause. Your Factory shoes, they are slippers really, but they won't fit inside the boots. You can't leave them behind though, they are your only shoes. No, you take them off and stuff them in your pockets, then pull on the work boots and stand up. Take a deep breath.  
“Alright, BB, let’s do this...”

 

The first thing is the light. The corridor is bright, and it blinds you. You squint, but try to keep moving. You don’t want to attract any-

“Hey you there! Where’s your bucket? There’s a spill on 3rd and we’ve been calling for someone the last ten minutes!”  
You freeze, as an older man in a dark uniform, shouts at you.  
“Sorry,... Sir! I-It broke! Just on my way to get another one now.”, you mutter, no idea if you're really making sense. He frowns, but seems to buy it.  
“Well, make it quick! And change your damn clothes! You're a disgrace!”  
"Y-Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir...

You hurry along, heart racing... The corridor is busy, but thankfully, no one else approaches you. You're good at keeping your head down... No other cleaners, either, that could really blow your cover. No, you make it to the other end, and there is the goods elevator. BB-9E rolls to your side, and you press the button, and wait.

As you stand, you glance to the side, and suddenly feel dizzy. There are a group of officers, looking like they are walking straight towards you, and in their middle,.. Tall, slender, with golden red hair, and a face with such fine features, but fixed in in a strict, cold expression that sends shivers down your spine. Who is that? A Colonel, a General, an... Emperor? He looks up and-...straight at you. Your pupils widen, your lips even open, but no sound comes out. Stars, he can see right into your soul, can’t he. He’s spotted you, he knows you’re an intruder. It’s all over and you cannot even move, you’re stuck in the headlights like a-  
He turns the corner and they’re gone.

Bunny.  
Stuck, like a bunny in the headlights... The elevator pings, BB-9E rolls in, and you audibly exhale before you do, too. You press your floor number, and wipe a fine film of sweat off your brow. Your hand is softly shaking...

The elevator opens right next to the Storage room door. You get out unnoticed, and BB-9E clears the security panel. You slip inside, and marvel again at how lucky you are to have met him... Navigating the room by a soft, red light shining from his head, you find a secluded spot. You could set up camp here.  
As you sit down and stretch your legs, you notice another source of light. A very faint, warm glow further up on the wall... You stand up and run your fingers across the wall, finding a ridge, and... yes, you can dig your nails in, and... you stop for a moment and listen, but there is no noise on the other side... so you pull. And a panel comes right off in your hands, letting you look inside. Though mostly obscured by a dark leather chair, you are still able to see some of the room. Personal quarters, it looks like, with a sofa up ahead, a table, a desk and chair, and - 

A big, orange cat, that rubs its nose against yours, then lies down and demands being petted. You had no idea there were animals on board, and the feeling of warm fur against your cold hands is heavenly... The cat starts to purr, vibrating against your fingers, and you sigh in happiness, as a deep calm descends on you...  
But then you hear a noise at the door, and pull back, scrambling to place the panel back in time. Curiosity makes you keep it a little offset though... – Stars… you gasp, silently thankfully, as you see the room’s owner stride in. The same man you saw earlier... You watch him take off his greatcoat, hang it up neatly on the wall. Then he starts to take off his black leather gloves, and that... makes you swallow, makes a flash of heat rush through you that you realise you thought you’d never feel again...  
There’s a buzz at the door, and he presses a button, lets a delivery droid in which places a tray on the desk. He opens it, and the smell of warm, real food wafts over to you, makes your mind and body salivate. The man sits down and starts to eat, but is soon disturbed by a call on his datapad. Annoyed, but professional, he gets up, covers the food tray, and grabs his greatcoat. Once he's left, you - can’t stop yourself, you have to...You remove the panel again, pull yourself up and into his room, and swiftly make your way over to his desk.

You don't dare to sit down, he could be back any minute... As you quickly eat, you let out a sigh. The food is delicious, real... - But you're stealing from him. A pang of guilt sets in, and you resolve to leave exactly half of everything: the starter, the main dish, the dessert - all of the wine, you don’t like the smell of it. But the warm cup of tea next to the tray… You try it, and then gulp all of it down in one go. It tastes bitter, but makes you feel good. Clearer, somehow...  
You hear a noise outside, and quickly cover up the tray, slip back down into the storage room, and close the panel over, just in time.  
And this time, you decide to close it over entirely. It seems safer that way. Yes, damnit. You had to eat, but now you've alerted him to your presence. Your heart starts to race again...

You can hear he is not alone. Another man is there with him, and they are arguing. You can’t tell which voice belongs to who, not until you hear the tray cover being removed and one of them gasp, the other laugh.  
“Millicent stole half your dinner? How polite… And smart. Apart from yourself, who has access to your door code?”  
“No one.”

Those last words are so cold, you get a shiver down your spine again, and you hear something click that sounds an awful lot like a blaster. To be safe, you retreat from the panel, further into the storage area, even though you’d rather stay close and hear what they say. Sitting here in the dark and waiting… is awful.  
Your heartbeat is so loud, you feel like they can hear it. 

If they look through logs, they might see the storage room was accessed today. It wouldn’t take them long to find you if they searched this place. And then what? You’d be thrown into jail? Executed? What are you to them? What are you, really? Are you an enemy? Or just a stowaway? The Factory served the Republic, you came from there, that's all you know, still. Your headache becomes more and more shrill as you claw at your memories, trying desperately to figure out who you are. How can you bargain with them, when you don't even know your name...  
Light hits your face, as someone moves the panel, and you look up, straight into the black mask you saw earlier... His gloved hand reaches out towards you, you feel something telling you stay in place, then enter your mind... A kind of energy, that feels familiar, doesn't hurt, but – something snaps back in your mind, something sharp and burning, and he recoils.  
“Who are you?”, his modulated voice hisses.  
“I… I don’t know…”, you answer miserably.  
“Behind the wall? Good job, Ren. I’ll send troopers immediately.”  
“Hux, I doubt that’s necessary…”, Ren replies, and waves his hand at you. “Come on. It’s alright. We won’t hurt you…”  
“You won’t?”, you whisper cautiously.  
“We wont?”, Hux asks dryly.

Ren holds out his hand, and somehow you feel like… yes, perhaps you *can* trust him. You take it, and he gently pulls you towards him, up into the room. Stars, you had no idea someone like this could be so gentle…  
“No. This is a Vani. A Forestwalker. They’re peaceful Force sensitives, who usually work with animals and plants. But this one’s been messed up a lot. No threat to us, but… could have potential.”  
Hux fixes you with a cold, hard stare. His eyes are like blue-green icicles, and somehow they make you want to sink to your knees, confess, and beg for forgiveness. But you've got nothing to confess. You can't give him anything... Perhaps he realises that? His eyes soften with a frown, as he looks you over. Perhaps he's recognising you from earlier, or that your clothes are clearly stolen, or how dirty they and you are, as you stand in his nice, clean room...  
“Wouldn't a Force-sensitive fall under your care?”  
Ren shakes his head. “Something’s happened to this one. There’s a barrier, and I can’t get past it – not without doing a lot of damage, anyway. It'll take time, ... And you have the only animal on board.”  
Hux’s frown deepens.  
“In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not running a Daycare Center in here!"  
“Now, now, General... Aren't you the least bit curious? How does a sweet, shy person like this end up in a top security prison on Kalar? Where the inmates all hold converted death sentences? Something doesn’t add up, and you're going to help me find out what.”  
General Hux opens his mouth to protest, but Ren's voice becomes slower, and… quite threatening.  
“Supreme Leader Snoke, and I, personally, do appreciate your help in this matter.”

The General swallows down his response, just lets his eyes flash, and Ren clicks his tongue and leaves. As he opens the door, he turns back for a moment and looks at you. His mask obscures his eyes, but it feels like a deep, almost meaningful stare…  
But then he is gone. And now you stand feeling awkward in front of Hux, while his cat keeps threading through your legs. At least *she* likes you. Hesitantly, you crouch down reaching your hand towards her soft fur. “May I?” you ask him, but she takes matters into her own hand, and pushes her head against it. You hear him softly huff, then he turns around and sits down at his desk. Silence, then he suddenly looks over at you again.  
“You like Bitter Tarine tea?”  
“Was that what it was? Yes, I loved that!”  
He nods, and is silent again, tapping away at his datapad. You sigh quietly, returning your full attention to his adorable cat. There’s something so calming about stroking her, feeling her little heart beat, watching her chest rise with soft breaths. Her purring is like white noise… draws you in, and down, and...-

Hux catches you, before you fall to the floor. Your brain still managed to black out briefly, so you still feel confused, but you know why you're in his arms. Although... does he have really fast reactions, or did you say or do anything you can't remember, before you passed out?  
“I’ve ordered you food and tea. It'll be here soon.", he says, softly but firmly. His voice is cool, and detached, and you nod, as he carefully lets go of you, and helps you up. "Thank you." "I was going to have you sent to medbay after that, but now I think I'll get the doctor to come here instead.”, he adds, half to himself. Millicent, who was sitting guard next to you, follows, as he leads you to the sofa, and he a soft smile plays on his lips. “My cat seems to really have taken a shine to you.”  
“Wait.”  
You know he's unsure of you, but that makes it even more precious that he's looking after you so well. And you want to at least look a little more presentable, and take your diry overclothes and boots off. But when you start taking off your shirt, Hux’s face gets flushed and he swiftly turns around.  
“Don’t worry, I have something on underneath...”, you start, but the door chimes and he goes to answer it .   
When he comes back he carries a small bundle, while a droid carries food and drinks. A jug of water and a big cup of what smells like that wonderful tea... The droid places its load down and exits, but Hux stands and stares for a moment, as you straighten your dayclothes out. Eventually, he swallows and sets down the bundle on the sofa beside you, then points to the tray on the table.  
“Please. Eat and drink as much as you like.”  
You look down on your clothes, but don’t see what could be making him nervous. But then you remember Ren’s words. About the "Factory"…  
“I didn’t know it was a prison. I just woke up there every day, went to work, went to sleep-“  
That doesn’t help. His face is professional, but you can sense the tension underneath.  
“I would never hurt you.”, you whisper. His eyebrow raises, almost imperceivably, he nods once, very slowly, as if saying "Fascinating..." and turns around. “Sir.”, you add.  
You're not sure, but it sounds like the little snort coming from him is a soft laugh. It sounds... warm somehow. He sits back down at his desk, as you sit down on the sofa and begin to eat. His back is to you, but you know.  
You know that he’s watching you.

In the reflections.


End file.
